Ta'raach & The LovelutionThe Fevers

Detroit native Taraach McMathis (aka Lacks) was plying his wares DJing on the west coast before literally being dragged into the production game by a pair of genre-shaping pioneers from his hometown: Carl Craig and J Dilla. Today, the invaluable schooling of those two musical luminaries is front-and-centre as the forward-looking producer/MC drops his premiere long-player, The Fevers. Together with a rotating cabal of backing players, Taraach continues down the progressive path of his mentors, blending a nuanced sonic palette and reaching arrangements with a lyrical mix of gritty thug raps, thoughtful commentary and a few soulful, introspective slow-burners. The Dilla influence is undeniable on cuts like "I Name, as a subtle futuristic siren sound adds texture to the thick, choppy bass line and tough beat that anchor the cut behind Fuzz Scootas forgettable stock hustler tales. This musical tact continues on "The What What, with its digitised bass sounds, layered synth atmospherics and freaked vocal samples, and on the spacious, slow-mo sex-strumental "Fuck Music. Taraach smoothes things out on the syrupy "Liberations Lullabye, assisted by vocalist Joy Joness sweet musings, before bringing it home with "Hold On, a cut that opens with a crawling dub groove before evolving into a mid-tempo banger, as the mic-wielding beatsmith drops his own lyrical jewels about an ill-fated teenage love affair. What you find by discs end is that, despite his many guests, things come off better when its just Taraach. Maybe next time well get a little more of that.
(Sound in Color)